In the conventional line design, different persons perform the line design, the mechanical design, and the control design in this order. In the line design, a factory automation (FA) apparatus is arranged and line design information is generated. In the mechanical design, an FA apparatus which satisfies the required performance and specifications is selected on the basis of the line design information and mechanical design information, such as a timing chart, is generated. In the control design, a programming language or a program component is selected on the basis of the mechanical design information and a control program is created.
When the specifications or design is changed during the line design in a broad sense, the content of the change is transmitted between the persons in charge and needs to be reflected in the line design information, the mechanical design information, and the control program.
However, in the related art, an integrated simulation system which includes a plurality of independent simulators and a cooperation unit has been proposed. In the system, the plurality of independent simulators simulate a plurality of elements forming a simulation target, and a cooperation unit has a common data area to which the plurality of simulators are accessibly connected and includes a time management unit for, when a synchronization request is received from a simulator, managing a simulation time with the other simulators (for example, see Patent Literature 1). For example, the simulation result of each simulator or the state of each simulator is stored in the common data area. In addition, the integrated simulation system includes a change unit for detecting an area which accesses an external device in the program and changing the access destination to an address in the common data area, when each simulator performs a simulation.